Saturday, September 8, 2018

Sapporo soapland offered baths to earthquake victims

SAPPORO (TR) – Following this week’s powerful earthquake in Hokkaido Prefecture, which has resulted in more than 20 fatalities and damage to infrastructure, a soapland bathhouse in Sapporo offered victims the opportunity to bathe at its facility, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Sept. 7).
After the quake struck early on September 6, the unnamed bathhouse was unable to open due to a power outage. With female employees not able to arrive for work, management opened the eight-room facility to victims of the temblor beginning the following day.
As of noon, about 40 persons paid 500 yen for the chance to take a bath. “We are also victims,” said a staff member. “We went to help the local area.”
Due to the adult-entertainment law, the facility was available until midnight. Regular operations, which includes the provision of a massage and full sex by a masseuse, are expected to resume on Saturday.
The death toll due to the magnitude-6.7 earthquake is 21, with six other persons in a state of cardiac arrest, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Saturday. Meanwhile rescue efforts are ongoing to locate 13 others who remain missing.